Confidence Boosting Yoga Postures

With the New Year upon us, many will be setting new and exciting goals for 2014, and your practice can be an effective tool in helping achieve them! Sometimes, the most challenging obstacle we face is having the confidence to continue pushing ourselves past our comfort zone and away from long-standing habits. Among the many benefits yoga can offer, it can also provide a helping hand in these moments. Here are three of our favourite postures that will help build confidence and courage as we begin our journey into a year of success and celebration!

Upward Dog

As an integral component of any sequence, Upward Dog requires strong arms and a proud, open chest. While this asana will serve to warm up your core, strengthen the muscles around both your spine and your arms, it will also work to improve your posture. Ground through all points of your hands and focus on lengthening your neck and spine while practicing this pose for an increased feeling of power and confidence.

Tree Pose

Tree Pose is a posture that requires focus. As we ground our standing leg into the mat, we find a connection with some of the strongest muscles in our body. With chest lifted and a steady gaze, this asana begins as a test in concentration and becomes a testament to how powerful our mind body connection truly is. The focus practiced in this balance will be a useful tool both on and off the mat.

Warrior Pose

The name of this posture says it all. Harness all your strength and a determined focus, and this pose will foster an incredible feeling of power and fearlessness. As you explore all three variations in the Warrior series, you will most likely feel at times that you are being pushed past your comfort zone. This is the perfect practice for dealing with similar feelings in your day-to-day, and by embracing the challenge you will continue to enjoy the experience of surpassing your own expectations!